3 Steps to Healthy, Shiny Hair

Melissa GreerApril 15, 2016

The quest for healthy, shiny hair is one all women know. We asked celebrity colourist Rona O'Connor to share her silky hair secrets

Shiny hair just looks healthier. And hair shines best when it’s healthy. So the key here is to limit damage and keep hair moisturized. That can be difficult if you frequently colour your hair, use heat styling tools on the regular or, to be honest, if you live in Canada during the winter months.

We met with Rona O’Connor, a celebrity hairstylist and colour expert, to get the scoop on maintaining healthy, shiny hair. Read on for her silky hair secrets.

Step 1: Repair

When we spoke with O’Connor in February, at the launch of Goldwell’s new luxury hair care line Kerasilk KT3, she had just finished colouring Sarah Silverman’s long brown hair for the 2016 Academy Awards. O’Connor says she prepped Silverman’s hair with a repairing treatment before colouring to ensure she had a good foundation to work with.

Step 2: Moisturize

After colouring, O’Connor “applied a mask, like Kerasilk Color Intensive Luster Mask (200 mL, $55),” she told us. “I left it on for about 10 minutes because I really wanted to make sure her hair would sparkle under the lights at the awards. Then I sealed it with a serum.” Try: Kerasilk Color Finishing Cream Serum, an in-salon treatment.

Formulated with Keratin and Tamanu Oil, the Kerasilk Color line deeply moisturizes hair and prevents colour from fading – essential if you want shiny, lustrous hair. Fun fact: Skin care technology actually served as the inspiration for the science behind the new Keratransform Technology (KT3) line.

[/media-credit] Kerasilk Color Intensive Luster Mask

Step 3: Protect

As mentioned, heat styling tools can launch an assault on your hair strong enough to fry the ends and dry out strands. Be sure to use a protective spray with heat- and UV-protection. Try: Kerasilk Color Protective Blow-Dry Spray (125 mL, $35).

Over-washing can also strip the scalp of essential oils, causing hair to become dry and dull-looking. “I don’t let my clients wash their hair for two days after I’ve coloured it,” says O’Connor. To freshen hair between washes, try a dry shampoo like Kerasilk Color Gentle Dry Shampoo (200 mL, $35). Bonus: This one protects colour from fading and doesn’t leave a white residue in the hair.